"MODERN CAST IRON: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More"--from author Ashley L. Jones--recaptures the ease and joy of cooking with cast-iron cookware--both experienced and beginner cooks will be able to rival grandma’s cooking--includes stories from Jones’s own childhood growing up with cast-iron cooked meals, as well as recipe after tantalizing recipe (see my review)

Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More
 
Warm, crumbly cornbread. Chicken sizzling in the pan. Childhood memories filled with delicious, home-cooked dishes and your family there to enjoy it with you. Cast iron’s popularity faded in the ’70s―replaced by chemically processed cookware―but today’s cooks are reigniting a passion for wholesome cast-iron-cooked meals. This ain't your Grandma's kitchen―caring for and cooking with cast iron is easy, healthy, and totally Pinterest worthy.

In Modern Cast Iron, self-proclaimed cast-iron connoisseur Ashley L. Jones recaptures the ease and joy of cooking with cast-iron cookware. Jones introduces readers to the best brands and types of cast-iron cookware to fulfill any cook’s needs. She offers detailed tips and tricks for rescuing old, rusted pans and keeping them properly seasoned, and she shares recommendations for the best cooking oil for every recipe. With Jones’s help, both experienced and beginner cooks will be able to rival grandma’s cooking. Chock-full of stories from Jones’s own childhood growing up with cast-iron cooked meals, as well as recipe after tantalizing recipe―from breakfast quiche to gluten-free meals and beautiful blueberry cobbler―Modern Cast Iron explores the countless ways that cast iron benefits health and happiness.

A comprehensive guide to all things cast iron and home-style cookin’, Modern Cast Iron offers a new way for cooks to spice up the kitchen using all-natural tools and ingredients.

MY REVIEW:  Cast iron cookware is far from just dark, heavy pieces of metal that come to life when heat and food are added. In its own way, cast iron purveys sustenance, comfort, family memories, and a sense of "home". I have cast iron skillets in every size, and I use at least one almost every day. I also have other cast iron cookware like Dutch ovens, cornstick pans, and more. I am still using my Gran's big 12-inch skillet to make her recipe for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. Mom used that same skillet to fry chicken in real butter and then make gravy from the pan drippings. Of course, nothing accompanies a simple pot of brown beans better than crispy, golden cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet. In her book, "Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More", author Ashley L. Jones explores the history of cast iron, explains its various incarnations and their usages, and advises how to properly season (the process that turns cast iron into a cook's "black gold"), clean, and care for the cookware. The down-home delicious recipes include breakfasts, breads, sides, main dishes, desserts, and more. The author includes tips for healthier food preparation and has updated some of the classic recipes. Here's just a sample of the delightful dishes you can make: "Robby's Quiche"; "Mayonnaise Biscuits"; "Baby Limas"; "Garlic Potatoes"; "Beef & Vegetable Soup"; "Beef Stroganoff"; "Salmon Cakes"; "Apple Crisp"; and "Brownies". The author writes in a warm, personable style--and with great love of subject. After reading "Modern Cast Iron", not only will you be hungry, you will understand why cast iron cookware becomes a family treasure shared through generations.

Book Copy Gratis Red Lightning Books via Indiana University Press

Reviews

 

"This easy-to-digest reference will be a boon to home cooks new to cast-iron cooking" (Publishers Weekly)

"Ashley has put together a beautiful book full of practical tips and easy-to-tackle recipes that I cannot wait to try―especially the Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders! I just flat love this book! The author didn't leave out anything―from how to care for your cast iron to the health benefits of using this precious cookware―and everything in between. Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More is perfect for the cast iron snob to the cast iron newbie, and I plan to purchase copies for all of the accomplished and not-so-accomplished cooks in my life." ―Michelle Medlock Adams, award-winning journalist of more than 90 books, including The Perfect Persimmon"

"I'm excited about Ashley L. Jones's new book―Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More. Ashley's is a much-needed work for beginners and experienced cast-iron cooks. Many of the recipes are updated classics, with Ashley lending her experience and application of ingredients to craft healthier and more enjoyable results. ―Mark H. Kelly, Lodge Manufacturing Company"

"This isn't just an introduction to modern-day cast iron but a cooking journey from the past to the present. There are a million different ways to care for and cook in cast iron, and Ashley answers common questions including the history behind cast iron, how to clean, season, and more. Whether you're a newcomer or a "seasoned" cast-iron lover, this book is a great overview of a timeless cookware. ―Kent Rollins, Cowboy Cook and author of A Taste of Cowboy and Faith, Family and the Feast: Recipes to Feed Your Crew from the Garden, Grill and Iron Skillet."

"Indulging the reader's every curiosity about cast iron, Jones delves into the nostalgia and venerable history of cast iron cooking across continents. Cooking, cleaning, seasoning, choosing pans and even how and who makes cast iron cookware today ― every topic is covered in entertaining and easy to read prose. Whether because of sentimentality, health concerns or genuine preference, cooking has come full circle back to the days of cast iron cooking; Modern Cast Iron is the how-to manual to pass on to future generations along with your grandmother's favorite cast iron pan." (Jules E. Dowler Shepard, gfJules)

"Modern Cast Iron is a great resource for anyone who wants to bring the spirit of minimalism into the kitchen. With an emphasis on family traditions and a healthy lifestyle, author Ashley L. Jones captures the spirit of having more with less.―Joshua Becker, Author of The Minimalist Home

"Jones is a warm and charming guide to all things cast iron. She has a passion for every detail from the making of it, the preservation, and most importantly cooking with it. Life long fans of cast iron cooking as well as those just beginning their journey will be delighted by her depth of knowledge as well as passion. She does a beautiful job showcasing just how versatile cast iron cooking is and always has been." ― Lauren May, Must Love Herbs

"Modern Cast Iron by Ashley Jones has successfully rekindled my desire to try cast iron cooking once again! After numerous tries and multiple failures, Ashley's stories, practical tips and yummy recipes make me think it's actually more accessible than I thought. I can't wait to add this book to my library and share with my friends! "(Victoria Duerstock, Author Heart & Home: Design Basics for Your Soul & Living Space and Heart & Home for Christmas: Celebrating Joy in Your Living Space) 


Ashley L. Jones

 

Ashley L. Jones is an author, blogger, and teacher, but she prefers the title of Big Sister. A firm believer that we all know something worth sharing, she started the blog Big Sister Knows as a way to encourage and inspire other young women to live with gusto.

In her debut release, "Modern Cast Iron" (Spring 2020, Red Lightning Books), Ashley continues that mission. Not only does she instruct readers about cast iron cookware, but she inspires them to cook simple, wholesome foods and to gather with family around the table.

Ashley's second release of 2020 is "Who is God?," the first in the "Big Answers" series (Little Lamb Books). In this beautiful board book, Ashley pulls from her Master's Degree in Biblical Studies to answer one of the biggest questions kids ask: Who is God?

In everything she does, Ashley hopes to inspire others to live wholesome lives that bring glory to God. Find your encouragement, and follow Ashley's journey, at www.AshleyLJones.com